What's the minimum deposit to open an E*TRADE account?

There's no minimum initial deposit required to open an account, but the account must be funded within 30 days to remain open. Keep in mind: some mutual funds or ETFs have minimum purchase requirements (eg. $25 or $50). And E*TRADE does not offer fractional share investing -- so you'll want to plan for those minimums when you fund your account.

Is E*TRADE good for beginners?

Yes. The platform is easy to navigate, and it has education and tools that help you learn while you invest. It does offer many advanced features and tools, but beginners can ignore those and just use the basics.

Are E*TRADE accounts insured?

Yes, E*TRADE accounts are insured through Morgan Stanley, offering SIPC protection for investments (up to $500K). But this coverage does not protect against loss of the market value of securities.

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley Review (2026): A Flexible Pick for Beginners and Active Traders

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley is one of those brokerages that feels friendly on day one…and still has plenty of room to grow with you.

The regular website and app are clean and easy to use. And when you want more depth, Power E*TRADE brings advanced charting and options analysis into the mix.

It doesn't matter if you're a beginner investor or an advanced trader, this is a strong, all-round broker in 2026. Here is my honest review.

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Our Rating:

4.50/5

Bottom Line

E*TRADE offers low fees and tons of account types. If you need it, chances are, E*TRADE has it. You can access advanced features through its popular Power E*TRADE platform. Open an E*TRADE account to trade fee-free mutual funds and do all your investing in one place.

Fees:

Commission-free; other fees apply

Account Minimum:

$0

SPECIAL OFFER

Open and fund a brokerage account and get up to $1,000. Terms apply.

Learn More for E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

On E*TRADE's Secure Website.

How we rate stock brokers

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

How we rate stock brokers

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

What I like about E*TRADE

In my opinion, E*TRADE's strongest selling point is range. It works well for beginners, but it also has advanced tools for more active investors. Below are the features that I really like.

Beginner-friendly app and resources

The core E*TRADE experience is clean and straightforward, which is super important if you're just beginning to invest. You don't want to get overwhelmed if it's your first time opening and funding an account.

The initial set-up is easy, as well as doing the necessary funding, searching for investments, and placing trades. Most investors don't need super-fancy features, so covering these basics without confusion is nice to see.

You can also build watchlists and track performance and all that stuff. And as knowledge and experience grows over time, it has more advanced tools to offer.

Power E*TRADE gives active traders real horsepower

If you're the type of trader who runs a multi-monitor setup and wants charts, watchlists, and order tickets all living on the same "mission control" screen, Power E*TRADE is the platform you'll want.

It's built for active trading, and you can access it as a web-based platform, mobile app, or desktop app:

Some of the tools available with Power E*TRADE include:

Technical pattern recognition: Helps flag potential setups by tracking support/resistance levels and key price moves.
Advanced charting: Flexible charts with common indicators (like MACD) so you can spot trends and momentum shifts faster.
Strategy tools: Features that can help you compare approaches based on the criteria you care about.
Options analytics: Useful views like payoff/profit-and-loss diagrams and detailed options chains to make complex trades easier to evaluate.
Real-time market insights: Live news, analysis, and updates so you're not trading blind.

This is also a great options trading tool.

Wide range of investment choices

E*TRADE supports all the usual investing types like stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds.

For many beginners, mutual funds and ETFs are an easy "set it and keep it moving" way to get diversified. I'm a big fan of low-cost index funds for long-term investors, of which there are plenty to choose from.

Like many of today's best brokers, E*TRADE lists $0 commissions for online U.S.-listed stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds.

Customer support (hours vary)

E*TRADE offers phone and online support, and the hours depend on what you need help with (brokerage, banking, stock plan accounts, etc.). If you like having a real human available when you're stuck, this is a nice plus -- just check the contact page for the most current hours for your specific account type.

Alternatives to Consider

We recommend comparing brokerage options to ensure the account you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of our best trading platforms of 2026.

Broker	Best For	Commissions	Learn More
4.90/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Managing your finances under one roof	$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts	Learn More for SoFi Active Investing On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.
4.90/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Low-cost investing with a full-featured platform	$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.	Learn More for Charles Schwab On Charles Schwab's Secure Website.
5.00/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Full-service investing at every experience level	$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETFs. No account fees***.	Learn More for Fidelity On Fidelity's Secure Website.

Downsides you should consider

E*TRADE does a lot right, but there are a few things I need to call out that might be dealbreakers for certain investors.

No fractional shares

Unfortunately, E*TRADE doesn't allow fractional share trading. Which is a real bummer for beginners that want to start out buying quality companies with only a little bit of money.

No direct crypto trading (yet)

Right now, E*TRADE emphasizes indirect crypto exposure. Basically this means you can buy specific stocks or funds that have underlying crypto assets. But you can't buy crypto directly yourself.

That may change soon though. Morgan Stanley has reported it plans to offer crypto trading on E*TRADE in the first half of 2026, with trading that includes Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana at launch.

Advanced products can add costs

Basic trades like stocks and ETFs are commission-free, but advanced trades (like options or futures) come with fees. Also, if you sell certain mutual funds too soon, there's a hefty penalty, so watch the fine print.

Fees and pricing

Here are the main pricing points:

Investment Type	E*TRADE Online Pricing (Typical)
Stocks & ETFs	$0
Mutual funds	$0
Options	$0 + $0.65 per contract (or $0.50 per contract with 30+ trades per quarter)
Futures	$1.50 per contract
Bonds & CDs (online secondary trades)	$1 per bond (min $10, max $250)

Data source: E*TRADE pricing and fees

Note: Some funds may still have fund-level expenses or redemption rules, and certain products/trade methods can price differently.

How to open an E*TRADE account

Getting started with E*TRADE is super easy:

First, go to the E*TRADE website or download the app.
Pick your account type (brokerage, retirement, etc.).
Enter your personal and financial details.
Link a funding source, and you're good to go!

If you're transferring from an existing brokerage, go to our guide to learn how to move your investments: How to Transfer Stocks Between Brokerages.

Final thoughts

E*TRADE is a strong all-around brokerage that works for both newer investors and people who trade more actively. The "standard" experience is clean and fits what most people need, while Power E*TRADE brings legitimate depth for charting and options analysis.

That being said, if direct fractional stock purchases or spot crypto trading today are must-haves, you'll probably be happier elsewhere.

If you want a well-rounded brokerage with a real upgrade path, E*TRADE is a smart pick.

If you're ready to get started with E*TRADE, click here to go to E*TRADE's website and open an account.

Sources

FAQs

There's no minimum initial deposit required to open an account, but the account must be funded within 30 days to remain open.
Keep in mind: some mutual funds or ETFs have minimum purchase requirements (eg. $25 or $50). And E*TRADE does not offer fractional share investing -- so you'll want to plan for those minimums when you fund your account.
Yes. The platform is easy to navigate, and it has education and tools that help you learn while you invest. It does offer many advanced features and tools, but beginners can ignore those and just use the basics.
Yes, E*TRADE accounts are insured through Morgan Stanley, offering SIPC protection for investments (up to $500K). But this coverage does not protect against loss of the market value of securities.

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